Bench shirt help needed.

[Nytol]

I have a Titan fury, and have used a couple of times, but the way it forces me to bench is very different from how I normally bench.

I have a 220kg raw bench at 104kg bodyweight, but cant touch 230kg with the fury at the moment, and it is a size 50, so not esp small.

I bench with a close grip, little fingers about an inch inside the rings, and I'm 6"1' so I have a long range of motion, but this is the grip which feels most powerful for me, going wide hurts my tendons, and makes me feel weak.

I am considering trying a metal (not Viking), as some say they can touch a lighter weight, which I need at the moment to learn the groove through a full range of motion.

Can any one give thier reccomendations for a shirt which is forgiving to touch in, and allows a closer grip to be used?

I am hoping to do the BPC open in Sept, so I need to get used to it quick.

Many thanks in advance.

[RJstrong]

I know you're gonna hate me saying this... but I think you should reconsider widening your grip... especially in shirt training. It may not feel right for the moment but you can get used to a wider grip if you really work at it... I know I did. I benched for years with a closer than normal grip... my powerlifting coach made me change it and the rest is history. I'm hitting numbers in a bench shirt that at one time would of seen unobtainable... Mainly because of an entire change in technique (from my grip to lifting elbows tucked) and training philosophy (concentrating on lockout power... triceps) but I do feel like my grip change did play an important role. Stick with whats comfortable for ya if it throws you off that much, but always work on perfecting technique.

quick question... do you track the bar as it comes down lifting your head off the bench... if not, it will help you touch weight that is getting close.

[Nytol]

Thanks for the reply, yes I know that if I am to do well in powerlifting then my technique needs to change, and I shall work on it, but I was hoping for a shirt I could use in the next 2 months without having to re learn everything.

http://www.flexcart.com/members/elit...d=204&pid=1480

This says the Metal bash bencher is easier to touch and has an easier to use groove, but on another site it says it is super pro shirt?

All of the things you mention are all of the things I need to do, I have trained with 2 european champions and they gave me very good advice, but it will take a long time before I can feel good benching that way.

I shall try the tracking thing, and see if that helps, out of interest, what shirt do you use?

Thanks again.

[RJstrong]

all of my experience has been in inzer double denims... from standard cut to radical cut and the inzer double rage x. I just bought a titan f6 double ply that looks and feels good so far (I've only used it once so far lol)... I do think it will be a good shirt once I work out all the kinks.

[Nytol]

I spoke to another lifter today, who said the metal pro bencher, (non viking) does suit closer grip benchers, can anyone confirm this? Not that I doubt him, but it would be nice to have a 2nd opinion from anyone who has used a Metal shirt.

[Doc.Sust]

the shirt isnt yor problem it is your form, the fury single ply is one of the easier shirts to learn, if you are a flat presser, thanthe shirt is for you, if you arch, than you should be using an f6. you have to widen the grip when you press with the shirt. if you want to press close when raw, go ahead but not when equiped. i dont know who told you that the metal shirts are easier to learn, but they arent, they are more complicated and more expensive. you need to learn technique, i f you are having trouble touching pull the shirt collar as high as possible, remember"elbows in" and squeeze your lats together(drop your shoulders) i recomend you buy the metal militia bench press dvd. it will help you learn how to properly use the shirt. my raw form and my equiped form are COMPLETELY 2 different lifts. if i tried to press the way i pres raw in a shirt, i would not be ablet to touch either or i would blow out the shirt.